No one knew what exactly Cao Dejiang did, but within half a day after the morning court session, the whole capital was abuzz with the entanglement between the Lu family and the newly titled County Princess of Yiyang from Jiyun Alley. The story of the Lu family "gifting books" to settle debts spread throughout the streets, alongside the news that Song Tangning was establishing an academy and intended to place the Lu family's collection and the rare books left by Grand Tutor Rong into the academy for scholars to borrow.
Song Tangning's reputation improved dramatically, and scholars discussing the matter in tea houses and taverns praised her for her generosity. The Lu family, however, found themselves in the opposite situation. Offering half of their book collection not only brought them no benefit but also turned them into a stepping stone that elevated Song Tangning's standing.
Whenever the Lu family was mentioned, there was a snicker of disdain, with people calling them hypocritical and accusing them of deceiving an unmarried young woman out of her dowry. Rumors spread that although the Lu family had promised to make amends to appease Song Tangning, they intended to renege on their commitment, simply seeking to gain a reputation for benevolence while planning to break their promise.
The Lu family was thrust into the spotlight, and Lu Chongyuan, after finally regaining consciousness, spat out another mouthful of blood upon hearing these rumors. Shaking with anger, he gripped the edge of his bed tightly and shouted hoarsely, "Tell Song Tangning to come. She must come tomorrow!" Those books were something the Lu family could part with, but they would never let themselves become a subject of ridicule!
"Have her and Xiao Yan come tomorrow... cough, cough..." he rasped.
"Father, please calm down," Lu Zhao quickly stepped forward to help him, glaring at the steward who had spoken out of turn, and ordered someone to send a message to Jiyun Alley for Song Tangning to come the next day.
After a fit of coughing that made it feel like his internal organs were at war, Lu Chongyuan managed to suppress the metallic taste in his throat. Pale-faced, he asked, "How many people from the noble families have shown up?" Lu Zhao hesitated for a moment before replying, "All of them." Noting his father's hesitation, Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath and asked, "Are they causing trouble?"
Lu Zhao pressed his lips together, reluctant to speak.
Lu Chongyuan's voice grew cold. "Speak. What is happening outside?"
Fearing his father's anger, Lu Zhao hesitated no longer. He carefully said, "The news about the academy has spread throughout the city. Someone seems to be stirring things up, leading to widespread condemnation of the Lu family. The other noble families have also been affected. In addition, they want to ask why you agreed to hand over benefits to Song Tangning to support those poor scholars."
"Most of the others are causing a stir, but with Second Brother keeping things under control, they don’t dare to go too far. However, the Cui family is directly questioning whether this has anything to do with the Empress. Cui Lin seems to know what the Fourth Prince has been up to and claims that our family is using all the noble families' interests to clean up the Fourth Prince's mess and pave the way for the poor scholars. He also said..."
"What else did he say?"
Lu Zhao lowered his voice. "He said you are too self-serving and unfit to lead the noble families."
Lu Chongyuan's chest heaved, and his vision darkened.
Lu Zhao, having kept a close eye on his father's condition, hurriedly helped him breathe easier. Seeing the pallor recede slightly from Lu Chongyuan’s face, he said urgently, "Father, please don’t be angry. Cui Lin has always been ambitious and dissatisfied with you. Previously, he even had private dealings with the Second Prince. You chose not to confront them because you wished to maintain unity among the families. Rest assured, I won't let Cui Lin cause any further trouble."
"No, let him cause trouble."
"Father?" Lu Zhao exclaimed in shock.
Lu Chongyuan's breath was ragged as he clutched Lu Zhao's wrist tightly and said hoarsely, "The Lu family has provoked widespread anger this time. Forcing them into submission will only breed resentment. Moreover, the Empress’s actions this time were excessively cold, and the smooth sailing of the Fourth Prince over the years has made her and her son forget who they rely on." He thought of the nine-tailed phoenix hairpin the Empress had sent out and the humiliation he had suffered the night before. His breathing quickened, but a cold gleam appeared in his eyes.
"If Cui Lin wants to support the Second Prince, let him. If they want to seek a new master, let them do so." Lu Chongyuan's breathing steadied. "Just make it clear to the other families that under the Emperor's authority, it is dangerous to serve two masters. Many of them are already bound to the Fourth Prince, and even if they switch allegiance to the Second Prince, they will struggle to gain his trust. They might gain temporary favor, but if the Second Prince rises to power, he will remember this act of betrayal."
"If they are not afraid of future conflicts, they can follow Cui Lin."
Those families were cautious by nature, unwilling to take risks. Even if they were tempted, they would not dare to blatantly follow Cui Lin. Right now, the Lu family could not suppress them, so it was better to let them have their way, using them to intimidate the Empress and her son. This would make it clear that the Lu family was not indispensable to them, while also giving the others a chance to vent their frustrations.
As for the rest, once the dust settled, Lu Chongyuan had ways to placate those families. As long as sufficient benefits were offered, they would not easily abandon the Lu family and switch.
Lu Zhao said in a low voice, "Father, how should we handle the Empress?"
"The Empress is of Lu family blood."
"But she doesn’t see herself as part of the Lu family," Lu Zhao said bitterly. "This situation has blown up. Everyone knows you are unwell, and even the other families have come to confront us. Yet the Fourth Prince hasn't visited you once, and the Empress hasn’t shown the slightest concern." Although not directly related by blood, they were still kin, and to outsiders, she was still his daughter. Yet, neither the Empress nor the Fourth Prince even bothered with appearances, leaving them to bear the consequences of their cold-heartedness.
Lu Chongyuan’s breath was labored, his disappointment with the Empress evident. "The Empress is Lu family blood, but the future Emperor does not have to be the Fourth Prince." Lu Zhao's eyes shot up in surprise. "Father, you mean..."
"To control the Emperor is to control the realm," Lu Chongyuan said coldly, his pale face adding to the chilling effect. "Previously, the women sent from our clan to the Fourth Prince’s residence had no success in bearing children. I thought it was just fate, but now I see the Empress and her son have long been on guard against the Lu family. Send in two more, but this time, do not let the Fourth Prince know they are connected to the Lu family. Ensure they conceive Lu blood as soon as possible." He paused for a moment.
"Instruct the physicians to prepare fertility medicines for them. Don’t worry about the Fourth Prince’s health." Since the Empress didn't value the Lu family, there was no need for the Lu family to be overly considerate. They would continue to support the Fourth Prince, but who would be the future Emperor would be up to the Lu family to decide.
He looked at his eldest son. "No one must know of this, not even your mother or younger brother. You must personally select the women, ones who are controllable. As for the physicians, once they have done their work, eliminate them to avoid any loose ends."
Lu Zhao's expression tightened. "I understand, Father. You can count on me."
Lu Chongyuan took a deep breath, gazing out of the window at the dark, serene night and the high, bright moon. "When Song Tangning comes tomorrow, go to the Imperial Prison."
Lu Zhao was puzzled. "But Xiao Yan will block me. I won’t be able to see Third Brother…"
"He will let you see him."
Lu Zhao wanted to ask more, but seeing his father close his eyes, he swallowed his questions and replied quietly, "Yes, I will go tomorrow."
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 here
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